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On Facebook (online) Activism

I’ve been asked by a first year UP Manila student probably an Arts student regarding my views on online activism. Apparently, she recognizes that I’m an online activist. However, she was not able to give me a definition of what online activism is or how she recognizes that a person is an online activist. Still, I gave her my insights regarding the topic.

I maintain a mainstream blog (www.clevearguelles.com) which contains all possible topics under the sun. Largely, my blog is an unorganized collection of my insights regarding different topics especially that concerns Philippine politics. I also use my blog as a personal journal. Aside from my blog, I also use social networking sites to cross-post my blog posts and insights on different issues. I use Plurk, Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo Meme and Tumblr to maximize my reach. If this counts as an online activism, I’m not that sure.

From placards to keyboards

I believe that you can’t be an online activist without being an activist outside the virtual world. It lies on the assumption that the online world acts as an extension of the real world therefore, campaigns should be extended to the online world as well. The availability of new mediums to reach students regarding student sector’s campaigns should be maximized. Its effectiveness in reaching the students led me to use these mediums to share my campaigns and to mobilize them for these different campaigns.

This actually proves the contemporary theory that online activists became online activists out of necessity. Activists should maximize available mediums to reach the most number of people.

However, we should always consider the dangers of online activism. While online activism is a very useful form of activism that maximizes available mediums, it can only be regarded as an extension of traditional activism. It cannot be considered as a whole new form of activism.

Online activists tend to believe that their line of work is just limited in the virtual world.  We must not commit the mistake of thinking that the virtual world is the “world” where campaigns should be brought. It only acts as an alternate world (extension) of the real world where campaigns should be really voiced out. Also, we must not always think that the Internet is a place where we can reach everyone or the majority of the people. Especially in the Philippines, the majority of the population does not have access to Internet. It actually defeats the purpose of the activism—that of reaching the most number of people regarding campaigns and to mobilize the most number of people out of these campaigns. Primarily, if our aim is to mobilize the greatest number of people, campaigns should be spearheaded outside the virtual world (but simultaneously extended to the online world). Lastly, online activism tends to encourage “clicktivism.” We are inclined to believe, because of online activism, that joining causes on Facebook or by re-tweeting campaigns on Twitter would automatically translate to social change. In reality, this is not true. Social change could be achieved through collective show of force, action, and dedication outside the walls of the internet. Our greatest aim remains to be that of arousing, organizing and mobilizing the most number of people for our cause.

From closed fist to mouse activism

But online activists are most welcome.

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Clicking like on Facebook on a status opposing the 1.39 B Peso Budget Cut to UP would not really help stop the passage of it in Congress. Joining this Friday's (September 24) nation-wide walkout of students against budget will do. Don't commit clicktivism. Be heard (not just in the virtual world).

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